Glock 34?

[razorback2003]

I thought I would get some insight on the Glock 34. I used to rent a Glock 34 when I wanted to shoot a centerfire handgun for fun in college (I had a 22 pistol I shot most of the time to save money) and remember it being a smooth shooting handgun. I have had a Glock 19 for quite a long time that I bought as an all around carry, home defense, and range gun. I am now exclusively using it as my home defense/range gun and just carry a 38 snub.

I do not have a lot of money to go buy another handgun in addition to my 22 pistol, 38 snub, and Glock 19, so would consider trading my 19 for a 34. Is that a worthwhile trade if I am just using the 19 for home defense and target shooting? I am also interested in joining a gun club and trying out IDPA...if that matters. I want to stick to 9mm, due to ammo costs and Glock because I do have a couple Glock 17 mags that work in the 34 and a 33 round Glock 18 mag.

Thanks for advice!

 

[Hacker]

if I am just using the 19 for home defense and target shooting?

I would say yea unless you plan on packing it anytime soon.. i would think hard about it seeing as how the 19 is the most popular Glock .. ever, but i'm pretty sure the reason for that is concealability. maybe one day if you ever want to carry 9mm you can look into G26 Because it sounds like you dislike carrying the 19.

 

[chbrow10]

if you want to shoot IDPA, go for the G34. It is very popular, since it was designed to for that sport (fits in the box). You won't be able to use your 33 rounder however.

 

[midiwall]

I love my G34 as does everyone else that I let shoot it.

As chbrow said, it a perfect gun for IDPA. Shoots very well all day long. It's too big to CCW, but you say you're using a 38 snub nose for that purpose. I'd say do the trade.

If it's gonna run a role as a home defense weapon, then do look at putting some night sights on it. You say you're tight on cash, so maybe just some GlowPaint, but you should do something to help with visibility.

this may help:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=446670

 

[Bill B.]

JMO but you already own the best 9mm Glock made in the G19. It's not like you can't compete with a G19 in IDPA. The lighter trigger that's in the G34 can be put in your G19 as can the adj. rear sight be added at about any gun show. This will be much cheaper than making any trade. MY 2 cents ..................

 

[razorback2003]

M&P

How does the 5 inch M&P stack up to the Glock 34? I've read some specs and it looks like the M&P has a heavier trigger than the Glock 34.

I have thought about putting a lighter trigger on my Glock 19 and trying that out....but am still thinking that the extra inch and a half of barrel length of the Glock 34 would help me in shooting. I have a 5 and a half inch Browning Buck Mark and it is a dream to shoot at the range. It has great balance compared to the 4 inch Buck Marks.

I would probably put night sights on a 34 if I pick one up because I would still use it as my night stand gun. I have been happy with my Trijicon night sights on my Glock 19.

The 19 is a great all around gun..I can legally carry it while deer hunting (4 inch barrel)..fun at the range, good car gun..can carry well..good for fishing..hiking...it's just a shame I don't have unlimited funds! If i did i would get into the full auto toys on top of more than a few handguns, rifles, and shotguns!

 

[Dr_2_B]

you already own the best 9mm Glock made

+1. That g19 is such a classic I have a hard time believing anyone should trade it. I believe if you get rid of it now - even to trade it for a 34 - you'll be sorry. As hard as it is, I really hope you'll wait until you save up enough to buy the 34.

 

[LancerMW]

dont get rid of the 19, seriously! i have had both 34 and 19, i got rid of the 34, 19 is to perfect

 

[Jed Carter]

By all means get the G34, but keep the G19 as well. Each has a designed purpose that they do very well. I really like my G34, I only use it to shoot in IDPA and USPSA matches. I only have the 1 Glock, but if I ever do buy another it will be the G19.

 

[ainokea]

i say sell the snubby and the 33 round magazine. You can shoot idpa with a G19. Use the funds from the snub and 33mag to get the G34.

 

[chilic82]

i say sell the snubby and the 33 round magazine. You can shoot idpa with a G19. Use the funds from the snub and 33mag to get the G34.

I agree. Sell the snubby and 33 rndr and get the 34. Don't get rid of the 19. You'll just have to buy another one later if you do.

 

[razorback2003]

Keeping 19 and Saving for 34

I thought long and hard and will just keep the 19 and save more for the 34. I need the 19 because it fits my significant other's hands extremely well. I think she would have a harder time using a 34 as a house gun. She is not a gun person, but operating a slide and magazine is no problem because the 19 is kept loaded in the nightstand at all times should she need to use it.

 

[sokygunner]

I think you will be perfectly happy with keeping the 19. You could look at it like this, if you go to trade you will lose money trading, you could spend that money on a 3.5lb connector to lighten the trigger and an extended slide stop off the 34, which you can pick up at any dealer or gun show and have it put on right there in about 5 minutes. Now except for the barrel length and porting you have all the main attributes of a 34, for about 30-40 bucks. Now spend the rest of your money on practicing with it and you will shoot just as well with that as most people would shoot with a 34, plus you can still carry it pretty easily. For this kind of money you could also add some new sights to it and be ready to roll.

 

[razorback2003]

4 and a half pound trigger? Would like to take mushiness out

If i put a 3.5 pound connecter in my 19 with the regular spring will that give me a trigger pull of 4.5 pounds, like the Glock 34? I have the standard 5.5 pound trigger now. I want to stick to using stock parts, but want to take some of the mushiness/spongy feel out of the trigger and make it more crisp. I know I can't get the same feel as my Browning Buck Mark, but it would be nice to take up the beginning slack. I have also read that adding a 3.5 pound connecter and a NY1 takes the weight up to 6 pounds, but again takes the slack out? Has anyone tried this? I am using this gun for self defense in addition to range time. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[sokygunner]

The spongy feeling in a glock trigger is just going to be there, it is what it is. I have put the 3.5 connecter in my 23 and it is much lighter but still spongy. To get a 3.5 connector these days you are going to have to go aftermarket, lonewolf, sherer, ghost, one of those, mine has a lone wolf in it. The trigger is good, and it will actually have a positive change in accuracy that you can notice...but still going to be a little mushy, its a glock. I would estimate the pull around 4 lbs in my gun with the original 5lb connector and spring set up. I wouldn't fool with the NY trigger if you want it to feel like a 34, that trigger was made to be hard to pull, its a liability thing for police departments. Same reason a lot of departments issue double action only guns, you can't "accidently" pull the trigger.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I have a G34 and a G26. If it weren't for the fact that I bought the G26 first, I may have split the difference and got a G19. My G-34 is equipped as follows:

Trijicon Night Sights
3.5 lb trigger
standard mag release

You know what? All you need is night sights and the 3.5 trigger bar. You could always get an aftermarket extended (and threaded) barrel if you wanted. If you're not shooting competition though, I don't think the barrel will matter that much.

 

[razorback2003]

Trijicons On Gun

I bought the gun 8 and a half years ago slightly used from a dealer private sale (a box through it...the guy's wife didn't like it). He had it fixed up with trijicon green night sights. I was pretty happy back then to buy it $500 and not have to pay sales tax on it, since it was private sale. The trijicons are still pretty bright in the dark. I found a website......glockparts.com that has factory 3.5 lb connectors and I'm going to order a couple of those and a couple of regular springs for the gun. I'm also going to order a regular guide spring and rod set b/c I shoot it quite a bit and it is about time for a spring change up. I look at maintaining a gun like taking care of a car....change out parts when you're supposed to and it will last a long long time...guns longer than we'll be around. I had thought about a metal guide rod, but haven't had any problems with the factory plastic rod. The only time the gun has jammed is when I've had a bad primer on cheap cheap ammo and once when using an aftermarket mag. Good ammo and factory mags=fine running machine that I trust.

Will the extended mag release help keep me from keeping the gun from locking open when it is empty? I tend to do that sometimes with a two handed hold when with my thumb. I have a regular slide release. I don't use the slide release for anything except holding the gun open when checking it. I pull the slide, instead of using the slide release, after putting a new mag in the gun when the slide is locked open.

 

[sokygunner]

I will assume the "extended mag release" in your post was meant to say extended slide stop. I have never had an issue with the extended slide stop on any of my glocks being hit by my thumb while shooting. I realize it does happen to some people on some model guns but I have never had it happen on a glock. You may want to work on your grip a little to train yourself to overcome the habit of placing your thumb where it may hit the slide stop and cause the slide to be held back or let go when you don't want it to be. Besides that, the extended glock slide stop is in the exact same location as the reguler slide stop, only it is flared out a little on the top to form a flat spot for your thumb the hit the top of it rather than being totally flat against the side of the gun. It is tapered down on the bottom. I may not be describing it the best but once you see one, which come on the 34 and 35 models, you will probably see what I mean. It shouldn't be a problem for you. It does make a difference in releasing the slide to send it home in a hurry for a reload, but most glocks especially after they have been shot a lot will send the slide forward if you ram a full mag in hard from the bottom...known as a combat slide. Some guns are meant to do it and glock is one of them. If it doesn't let the slide go forward on the initial "smack" of inserting the magazine just smack the bottom of the mag while it is in the gun again and it will send it home or you can just be in the good habit of racking the slide to send it home on a reload, but even if you aren't trying to send the slide forward that way, be in the habit of being "assertive" when seating a full mag in your weapon to be sure it is seated properly. "Tap - Rack" is good practice to get into for everything as it will teach you through constant drills to automatically Tap the mag and rack the slide to reload or clear a malfunction. Almost any feeding or ejection malfunction or failure to fire can be cleared by a Tap/Rack drill. If it can't be cleared by that learn to jump behind cover and clear the malfunction while you are in the safety of cover. Some autos will send the slide forward with a smack of the magazine, some won't, the best habit to be in is to always charge the weapon by pulling the slide back not relying on the slide stop to release it or hitting the mag to send the slide home. Sorry for the rambling and long post but just trying to put some stuff out on the table for you to consider.